Doughnut machine



June 9, 1942. E. J. ROTH DOUGHNUT MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet l NNN June 9, 1942. E. J. ROTH 2,286,013

DOUGHNUT MACHINE Filed Jan. 50, 1941 7 Shee'Ls--Sheefl 2 fi@ Si INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 9, 1942. E. J. R01-H 2,286,013

DOUGHNUT MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 9, 1942. E. J. ROTH 2,286,013

DOUGHNUT MACHINE Filed Jan. 50, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ORNEY '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY June 9, 1942. E. J. mm

DOUGHNUT MACHINE Filed Jan. 50, 1941 June 9, 1942. E. J. ROTH 2,286,013

DOUGHNUT MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 9, 1942. f E. J.` RGTH 2,286,013

DOUGHNUT MACHINE.

Filed Jan. 30, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR Ernest J ,Q0 7, @42A Sigg 27%@ ATTORNEY Patented June 9, 1942 DOUGBNUT MACHINE Ernest J. Both, Norwood, N. J., Lowe Corporation, New York,

tion ol' 4Delaware assigner to Joe N. Y., a corpora- Applieation January 30, 1941, Serial No. 376,578

19 Claims.

This invention relates to doughnut machines deposited by the doughnut cutter) towards the delivery end of the machine (or point of discharge), the raw doughnuts floating near the surface of the fryihg fat, and the timing of the conveyor being such that in their progress through the rst half of the frying kettle the lower section of each doughnut is thoroughly fried, and successive doughnuts or groups of doughnuts are then turned over by a turnover device actuated solely by contact with an advancing cross flight oi' the main conveyor, and the doughnuts thus turned over continue to cook inthe frying fat by the notation process while being progressed by the main conveyor to the delivery end of the machine, by which time the cooking operation is 35 completed and the fully cooked doughnuts are then discharged from the frying kettle as by a short delivery conveyor.

In the drawings comprising seven sheets of twenty-three figures numbered Figs. l to 16, 16a, and 17 to 22 inclusive.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of doughnut machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section taken along the line 6 6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 'l is a vertical cross section taken along the line 1 1 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view of the turnover device partially broken away.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11, are diagrammatic views showing various phases of the progress of a doughnut relative to the main conveyor during the turning operation.

Fig. 12 is a. side view of another form of doughnut machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 13 is a side view of a detail.

Figs. 14, 15 and 16 are diagrammatic views showing various phases of the progress of a doughnut relative to the main conveyor and turner of the machine of Fig. 13 during the turning operation.

Fig. 16a is a crs sectional view of the turner shaft showing how the turner blades are attached thereto.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary view of an alternative form of turner centering cam.

Fig. 18 is a vertical cross sectional view of a detail of the turner supporting casting.

Fig. 19 is a horizontal cross sectional view showing how the doughnut rest is protected by the turner blade from injury by an advancing cross ight.

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary side view partly in cross section'showing how the cross flight recenters the turner.

Fig. 21 is a perspective the receiving end of the Fig. 13; and

view of a'fragment of doughnut machine of Fig. 22 is a vertical cross section of a fragment.

of the delivery conveyor.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Frying kettle |00 which may be of the straightaway type, is preferably formed in cross section as shown in Fig. 4, with a relatively deep section |0| and relatively shallowV overhanging lips |02 |02 on either side of said deep section. 'I'he bottom of the kettle may incline upwardly (Figs. 2 and 3) in both directions from a drainage nipple |52 connected to the deep central portion |05, towards the receiving and delivery ends of the kettle. Frying kettle |00 may be supported in any convenient manner as by a supporting frame |03 or the like. The kettle may be heated in any convenient manner as bya battery of gas burners, electrical coils, or other heating apparatus. A series of groups of tubes |0l|04 may extend transverse the deep section |0| of frying kettle |00, said tubes extending through the side walls of the kettle and being arranged in spaced relation at suitable intervals alongthe kettle (Fig. 2) to facilitate the rapid heating of the frying fat.

The moving parts of the machine, such as the conveyor chains |00 |00, and the turner III, are not secured directly to the walls of the kettle; but are all mounted upon the several sets of plates ISS-|36 which are clamped to the burner tubes |04. For this purpose each upper plate |35 and its associated lower plate |36 (see-Fig. 2), are clamped by `,suitable bolts, such as the socket head bolts |31 (Fig. 3), to one or more of the burner tubes |04. At the receiving end of the frying kettle (Figs. 1 and 2), the upper plate |35 supports a baille plate |51 which 'mtends beneath the forming dies ||6 of doughnut cutter |26 to form a support whereon the raw doughnut formations come to rest momentarily after being released from the forming dies' ||6 of the doughnut cutter, until the expanding doughnuts become suiiciently buoyant to rise adjacent the surface of the frying fat and engage the spaced'v cross flights ||0 of the conveyor as hereinafter described.

A plurality of chain sprockets |06|06 (Fig. 2) are mounted upon a shaft ||9 which is journalled at the receiving end of the frying kettle to the upper plate |35, and a plurality of chain sprockets |01|01 (Fig. 1) vare similarly mounted upon a shaft similarly journalled upon the upper plate |35 positioned (Fig. 2) adjacent the delivery end of the frying kettle. An endless chain |08 extending substantially the full length of the kettle engages the teeth of one pair of sprockets |06-|01, and a similar endless chain |09 engages the teeth of the other pair of sprockets M16-|01, so that as the main drive sprocket revolves in the right direction the upper flight of each endless chain |00, |09 advances from the receiving towards the delivery end of the frying kettle |00. The upper flights of endless chains |00, |09, travel through guide channels |53 (Figs. 1, 4, 6, 1), which serve to maintain said upper flights at the proper level relative to the fat level |46 (Figs. 3 and 5). At suitable intervals the endless chains |00, |09 are joined together by spaced cross flights ||0 extending transverse the kettle, the cross ights being attached to the endless chains in any preferred manner as by means of screws, rivets, or the like. Idler sprockets |42|42 and |44 (Fig. 3) mainmid-way between the receiving and delivery ends of vfrying kettle |00, a turner is mounted to revolve on a suitable shaft |50 journalled to the frames itl/(Fig.l 4). Turner (Fig. 8) preferably consistsof four turner blades ||2 mounteci-90 apart upon a rotatable shaft |50. The

tain proper clearance between the lower extremity of the downwardly projecting turner blade and the cross flights 0. |44 is journalled on a shaft |40 to an adjustable block |38 (Figs. 3 and 4) which is screwthreaded to a worm screw |5| whereby each adjustable block |30 may be raised or lowered on plate |36 (Fig. 3), to regulate the amount of tension or slackness in the endless chains |08, |09. The grease drainage nipple |52 is secured in the bottom of kettle |00, (Figs. 3 and 4).

To protect the turner mechanism from injury due to expansion of lower casting |36 (Fig. 3)

Each idler sprocketthe pads |95|95 are cast separate from lower l casting |36. Each pad is provided with an opening |96 for receiving a stud |91 projecting from lower casting |36. The opening |96 in pad |95 is substantially larger than stud |91, thus permitting relative movement between lower casting |36 and pads |95|95 to compensate for expansion.

The spaces between adjacent cross flights ||0-||0 form cells or compartments flor containing the doughnuts or other articles |21 to be fried, and as the endless chains |08, |09 move towards'the delivery end of the frying kettle to advance the cross flights ||0, said cross flights cont-act the partially cooked doughnuts or other articles |21 which are floating adjacent the surface of the frying fat, and convey them from the receiving end (or point of deposit), towards the delivery end, of the frying kettle. Approximately shank |30 of each blade ||2 is offset (see Fig. 8). Adoughnut rest |3| is secured to the forward side. of each shank; rest -|3| serves both to hold the doughnut back as the turner rotates to lift doughnut |2141 out of compartment ||3 (see Figs.

.9 and 10), and to trip the doughnut when the turner blade reaches an upright position (see Fig. 11) to insure positive overturning of the doughnut before it is deposited in the empty compartment H4. A leaf spring |32 (Fig. 8)

may be attached to the rear si-de of each shank v dissipating the energy stored up in leaf spring |32 after holding latch |49 disengages the notch in turner centering cam |01 (Fig. 3). Shaft of turner is journalled beneath the level of the upper or advancing tier of spaced cross flights ||0 of the endless conveyor, so that the cross nights pass over the rearwardly projecting blade ||2 (Fig. 9) and the shaft |50 of turner while the lower or returning tier of cross ights M0 (Figs. 3 and 4) pass around idler sprockets M22-|42 and adjustable idler sprocket |04 positioned beneath the lower extremity of the downwardly projecting turner blade of turner l. As the endless conveyor advances each successive spaced cross ight ||5 engages the leaf spring |32 of the upwardly projecting blade, thus causing the turner to rotate in a clockwise direction through an angle of to move the blade from an upright to a forwardly projecting horizontal position in which position cross flight ||5 passes over leaf spring |32 in feathering contact (Fig. 11). With the turner blades in position thus insuring suificient clearance between cross flight ||5 and the turner blade (Fig. 11), holding latch |49 engages one of the slots in the turner centering cam |41 (Fig. 3) thus momentarily retaining the turner in a stationary position. Fig. 9 shows the position of a cross flight ||5 relative to an upwardly projecting blade (which is designated |2| for convenience of description) at lthe moment that cross ight ||5 engages the leaf spring |32;. and Fig. 11 shows the relative position of the cross Hight ||5 and of the now horizontally disposed turner blade |2| after the turner has rotated in a clockwise direction through an angle of 90 to turn doughnut |21a over in the operation of depositing the said doughnutin the formerly empty compartment ||4."v y

The odset shank |30 of the turner (Fig. 8) substantially increases the depth of the fat above forwardly projecting blade |2| (Fig. 11) so that as doughnut |21av(Fig. 11) is deposited in compartment ||4 the depthvof the fat above blade |2| is sufficient to prevent any injury y.to the doughnuts -due to any momentary contact with blade |2| which now functionsrin effect as a baille plate.' The side-edges of each blade ||2 (.Hg. 9) to form guard'members ||1 for preventing sidewise movement of the doughnuts during the rotation of the turner. lach blade may be provided with a series of spaced elongated openings |99 (Fig. 4) to reduce resistance to the movement of the turner in the frying fat, and to allow the fat to drain off as the turner blade is lifted above the grease level.

Suitable mechanism is provided (Fig. 9) to retard the advance of the doughnuts thus preventing them from moving prematurely into the path of the rotating blades of turner Il I. This device may consist of a resilient plate |29 (Figs. 3, 9, 10, 11) mounted either directly or indirectly upon one of the burner tubes |94. 'I'he brown underside of the partially cooked doughnut |21 (Fig. 9) engages the curved lip |12 of plate |29 thereby retarding the forward progress of doughnut |21 until the cross ight ||0 positioned in rear of the doughnut I 21 advances therebyforcing the resilient plate |29 downwards against its natural tension until the curved lip |12 is depressed far enough to permit the cross flight to advance the doughnut |21 into the position occupied by doughnut |21a (Fig. 9) for engagement by the rearwardly projecting blade ||2 of the turner (Fig. 9). The curved lip |12 thus herds the doughnuts |21 at the rear of their compartment, so that when they reach the position of doughnut |21a (Fig. 9), the doughnuts will be in rear of the rest 3| ratherl than in ccn- Vtact with cross flight at the forward end -of their compartment. If the doughnuts |21a were permitted to contact cross flight ||5 of compartment ||3 (Fig. 9), then as the turner blade ||2 rotated into position shown in Fig. doughnut |2141 would be pinched between the now rapidly rotating rest |3| of turner blade ||2 and the slowly advancing cross flight ||5 thus damaging the partially cooked doughnut.

A delivery conveyor 22 which may be of the endless chain type provided with cross slats |54 (Figs. 5 and 22) may be mounted on suitable sprockets |23-|23, |24-|24, and |29|29, so as to receive the completely cooked doughnuts from the main conveyor and deliver them through a chute |25 to a suitable collecting device (not shown) which may be a basket or tray, a conveyor system, or a cooling, or a sugaring, machine. The sprockets |29-|29 can be adjusted by means of' worm screw adjusting pin I1| to regulate the amount of tension in the endless chains of the delivery conveyor |22. Sprockets |01 and |39 are both mounted upon shaft |20 (Fig. 5) and rotate together, the former being driven by one of the endless chains of the main conveyor and the latter driving the endless chain |45 which in turn drives sprockets |23 and 204 which operate delivery conveyor |22.

With this construction only one power drive is required to operate all of the conveyors and the turner this power drive may besuitably connected to drive shaft I9 of the main conveyor at the receiving end of the machine. As turner is rotated solely by contact ,with the advancing spaced cross flights ||0 of the main conveyor, no independent drive is required to operate the turner.

A very satisfactory commercial form of auto-V matic doughnut machine embodying the invention is shown in Figs. 12 to 16a and- 18 to 21.

Adjustable idlers |55 and |51 (Fig. 12), positioned at the receiving and delivery ends respectively of the main conveyor, help to control the tension of the endless chains |09|09 of the a,ase,ois

main conveyor. Baiiie plate |51 (Fig. 21) which is immediately beneath the forming dies (not shown) of cutter |29, is mounted upon an upper plate |35 with screws 200. Main drive chain |59 moves in a well |94 (Fig. 21) formed in the overhanging lip |02, the well has an upstand-Y ing well-wall |59. 'I'he U shaped counter-shaft bearing block |92 ilts around well-wall |93. A counter-shaft |99 which extends into well |54 is iournaled in bearing block |52. Sprocket |9| driven by main drive chain |59, and sprocket |59, are both keyed to counter shaft |99. Sprocket |59 drives endless chain |59 to control drive sprocket |09 which drives the main conveyor. l

Sprocket 204 which drives delivery conveyor 2 via sprocket |23, and pump drive sprocket |99 which drives'fat circulating pump |99, are both driven by the endless chain'i 95 from a sprocket |39 (Fig. 13). Sprocket |39 rotates in unison with sprocket |01. Sprockets |23-204 and |01|39 may be double sprockets. A forked clamp |99 (Fig. 13), bolted at 20| to the frame of the machine, engages the shaft of sprocket |23, thus retaining delivery conveyor |22 in correct position. Adjustable idler sprocket |29 whichis regulated by worm screw |1| controls the tension of the delivery conveyor.

To allow for expansion the abutting ends of the guide channels |53 (Fig. 18) are separated by a suitable air gap |92, and the abutting ends are retained in correct alignment by a stud |93 press fltted in one guide channel |53, and projecting into an expansion groove |94 formed in the abutting end of the next section of guide channel. The guide channels are secured to the upper plates |35 by means of the flush screws |-|90, the screws being inserted and screwed into place through the openings 9| in the upper wall of the guide channel. Similarly to allow for expansion of lower casting |36, the pads which engage the burner tubes |04 are provided with enlarged openings |99 for loosely receiving the studs |91 of the lower casting |36- The turner mechanism 205 of the machine shown in Fig. 12 will be better understood from Figs. 14 to 16. The notched cam |41 and spring latch |49 (Fig. 3) of the machine of Fig. 1, are replaced by a cam |9| and weighted lever arm |15 (Fig. 14), the latter including an adjustable weight |90. 'I'he lever arm is pivoted at |19. Cam |9| is in effect a flattened wheel having rounded segments |92 alternating with flattened segments |93. When the turner is at rest (Fig. 14) the fiat underside of lever arm |15 engages a flattened segment |93 of cam |9|, thus centering the turner mechanism (Fig. 14) with its blades |94 in vertical and horizontal position. When the turner mechanism is centered, it does not obstruct the path of the advancing cross flights ||0. Each successive advancing cross flight ||0 if unobstructed advances until it reaches the position indicated by cross flight ||5 (Fig. 14) when it engages either the shank |99 of the upstanding turner blade |84, or the leaf spring 203 if the shank |99 is equipped with a leaf spring. If leaf spring 203 is used, it may be spot welded to shank |99, and shank |99 and leaf spring 209 may be mounted upon square shaft |50 by means of screws |99 (Fig. 16a).

The end walls |95 of each turner blade are bevelled so that if' for any reason centering cam |9| should fail to function properly and blades |94 should overstep (Fig. 20), cross flight ||0 in advancing would ride up the incline formed by bevelled wall |85 and'force the turner mechanism 285 to move counter-clockwise until itis` reaasep'ia l to shaft 'lso' by meanest the pms centered with itsv blades in the position shown in Fig. 14. The transverse step |81 (|81a, I81b) upon which the doughnuts rest momentarily during the turning operation (Figs. 15 and 16) (Fig. 19) and re-center the turner, but since the 'transverse step |81 (Fig. 19) terminates below the top of the bevelled wall |85, the cross flight can not engage and injure transverse step |81.

As the conveyor moves from left to right (Figs. 14 and 15) the cross flights |I0 successively pass through the position of cross iiight ||5 (Fig. 14) to engage shank |88 of the turner blade and rotate shank |88 and turner shaft |50 in a clcick-V wise direction. Cam |8| which iskeyed to turner shaft |50, rotates with the shaft, thus lifting weighted lever arm |15. The continued advance of cross ight |I5 causes the turner and cam |8| to continue to rotate in unison through the successive positions of cams |8| shown in Figs. 20, 15, 16 and 14. Turner blade |84a in rotatingvengages .the browned underside of doughnut I21a and lifts it (Figs. 15 and 16) until the trail-v ing edge of rounded segment |82a (Fig. 16)

passes the vertical center line of the axis of rotation of shaft |50, whereupon the flattened surface ofthe weighted lever arm seeks to contact the entire length of the ilattened segment |8811V (Fig. 16) thereby accelerating the rotation of cam |8| until it reaches re-centering posi` i tion (Fig. 14) when the further rotation of the turner mechanism 205 is abruptly arrested by the pressure of the weighted lever arm |15 against the flattened segment |8311. When the rotation of turner mechanism 205 is thus ar- Assam |11 rotates elockwisewitn shaft 15o', cam follower |13` rides along cutting |18 to shoulder 208 thus liftingweighted lever arm |15. AAs the blade |8 Ia reaches the-position` shownln Fig. 16; cam follower |13 falls into a cuttingy I18,"momentarlly accelerating and then arresting the movement of turner blade |8Ia, to flip doughnut I21a over in the manner previously described. When the weighted lever arm and swastika cam I 'I1 are in the position shown in Fig. 17 the turner mechanism 205 will be in the position shown in Fig. 14.

y Principle of operation The formations of plastic dough |21 formed I by the cutter |28 are deposited at the receiving end of frying kettle |00 (Fig. l), the doughnuts sinking momentarily4 into the frying fat towards the baille plate |51 until they obtain suicient buoyancy to rise adjacent the surface of the frying fat when they are engaged by the spaced cross flights .||0. Curved lip |12 of re- A tarding plate |28 (Fig. 9) tends to .arrest thev momentum, ofthe doughnuts propelled by cross flight IIIJ, so that doughnut. |21 will remain in the rear of its compartment in contact with the cross flight I|0 as the latter advances and delpresses retarding plate |28 to move thefdoughnuts into compartment II3 occupied by doughnut I 21a in Fig. 9. That portion ofA each doughnut which is immersed in the frying fat 1 cooks'quite rapidly -as the cross ilights ||0 adcrust on the underside, vwhile the upper side of rested, the doughnut I21a which is supported by the rest I81a is kicked or flipped off turner blade |8411, outer end first, and turns over and falls clear of cross ilight I |5'into the empty com-- partment II4, vone compartment in advance of the compartment I I3 from which it was removed.

against flattened cam |8|, some of the doughnuts might fall on top of the cross flight |51` and -Weighted lever arm may be reversed and pivoted upon the opposite side of the vertical center line of the axis of rotation of shaft |50, but in this case theadvantage last indicated would be lost.

The swastika cam |11 (Fig. 17) may be used instead of the flattened wheel cam |8| (Figs. 14 to \16). Cam |11 is provided with a series of shoulders 206 separated by the cuttings |18. A roller cam follower |13 mounted on weighted lever arm |15 by a fork bearing |14 follows the contour of cam` |11 to lift and drop weighted lever arm 15 as before. Cam |11 may be keyed .If the doughnuts were not sipped off blade ma by the arresting action of Weighted lever |15 the doughnut is substantially raw. lThe compartment ||.4 immediately in frontv of the turner mechanism is empty (Fig. 9). The continued advance of the main conveyor causes cross flight Y II5 forming the front end Wall of compartment I|3 (Fig. 9) to rst engage and'cornpress the leaf spring |32 attached to the rear side of the upwardly projecting turner blade (designated |2I) of turned |II, and then to force turner |I| to rotate in a clockwise direction (see Fig. 10)..

As the turner |II rotates through'compartment ||3 (Fig. 10) its rearwardly projecting blade `I I2 engages the underside of doughtnut I21a -positioned in compartment ||3 and the continued forward movement of cross ilight ||5 forces the unwardly projecting blade |2| (Fig. l0) of turner to rotate in a clockwise direction during which movement the forward end of doughnut I21a engages rest |3I (Fig. 10). Turner |II continues to rotate until the blade I2| occupies a horizontal position substantially as shown by the blade I2I (Fig. 11), thus bringing blade ||2 and partially cooked doughnut I21a into an upright position (Fig. 1l), whereuponr the doughnut I21a trips, turns over, and falls of its own weight into the formerly empty compartment |I4,'one

by doughnut I21a. The doughnut I21a nowl floats in the frying fat raw side downwards, and

by the continued advance of the main conveyor the doughnut while still cooking is progressed by the cross ight |I0 as indicated at |211) (Fig. 1l)

towards the delivery. end of frying kettle v|00.

As the rest |3| attached to turner blade H2 (Fig. 11) is formed at an obtuse angle, the cross flight H (Fig. 11) can move forward without contacting rest |3I, thus preventing rest |3| from jamming cross flight ||5 and avoiding in- ;lury to the various moving parts. By the time the doughnut reaches the delivery end of the frying kettle as indicated by doughnut |21c (Fig. 5) it is thoroughly cooked, and it is here transferred to the delivery conveyor |22 which in turn deposits the said fully cooked doughnut upon the delivery chute |25 In the machine shown in Fig. 12 et seq., the doughnuts are formed and advanced by the cross flights Ill until they occupy compartment H3 immediately behind the turnersmechanism 205 as previously described, .Ehe continued advance ofthe conveyor causes cross flight ||5 (Fig. 14) to engage either the shank of blade |84 or the spring 253 (if used) to rotate shaft |50 and turner mechanism 205 through the positions shown in Figs. 20, 15 and 16 in succession, causing cam IUI to lift weighted lever arm |15 while blade Illa lifts doughnut |21a. When the trail-` ing edge of roimded segment |8211. (Fig. 16) passes the center line of the vertical axis of rotation of turner shaft ISI, weighted lever arm |15 moves rapidly downwards first accelerating the speed of rotation of cam Iti and of the turner mechanism 255, and then arresting the rotation of the cam and of the turner mechanism to flip doughnut 2l1a olf blade Illa, thus turning the doughnut over and depositing it in the empty compartment Ill which is in advance of the turner (see Figs. 14 and 15).

When the swastika cam |11 (Fig. 17) is substituted for the flattened wheel cam III and the roller cam follower |13 is journalled beneath the weighted lever arm- |15, the principle of operation of the machine shown in Fig. 12 as thus modified remains unchanged.

What is claimed is:

1. A turnover device useful in a doughnut frying apparatus, said turnover device comprising a rotatable shaft and a rotor secured to said shaft, said rotor in turn consisting of a series of blades mounted upon said shaft, said blades being spaced 90 degrees apart and extending radially outwardly therefrom, the shank of each blade being bent to advance the position of the blade relative to its shaft-attaching shank, a spur plate secured to the forward wall of each of said blade Shanks and extending laterally outwardly therefrom to define a supporting rest for doughnuts positioned upon its associated blade during the operation of turning said doughnuts over incident to frying, and a leaf spring se-f cured to the rear wall of each of said blade shanks and extending in parallel spaced relation to its said rear wall.

2. A turnover device useful in a doughnut frying apparatus, said turnover device comprising a rotatable shaft and a series of blades mounted upon said shaft, said blades being spaced 90 degrees apart and extending radially outwards from said shaft, each blade having a shank portion for attachment to said shaft, a ledge secured across the shank portion and projecting outwardly therefrom to define a rest for doughnuts positioned upon the blade during the operation of turning the doughnuts incident to frying, and a guard rail'extending along the shank portion from the outer edge of the ledge downwards towards the tip of the blade.

3. A turnover device useful in a doughnut frying apparatus, said turnover device comprising a rotatable shaft and a series of blades mounted upon said shaft, said blades being spaced degrees apart and extending radially outwards from said shaft, each blade having a shank portion for attachment to said shaft, a ledge secured across the shank portion and projecting outwardly therefrom to define a rest for doughnuts positioned upon the blade during the operation of turning the doughnuts incident to frying, and the side edges of the blade terminating in a p-air of bevelled guard rails extending from the ledge downwardly towards the tip of the blade.

4. A turnover device useful in a doughnut frying apparatus, said turnover device comprising a rotatable shaft and a series of blades mounted upon said shaft, said blades being spaced 90 degrees apart and extending radially outwards from said shaft, each blade having a shank portion for attachment to said shaft, a ledge secured across the shank portion and projecting outwardly therefrom to define a rest for doughnuts positioned upon the blade during the operation of turning the doughnuts incident to frying, and the side edges of the blade being bent upwards to form a pair of tapering guard rails abutting the ledge and extending downwardly from the top of the ledge towards the blade tip.

5. A turnover device useful in a doughnut frying apparatus, said turnover device comprising a rotatable shaft and a series of blades mounted upon said shaft, said blades being spaced 90 degrees apart and extending radially outwards from said shaft, each blade having a shank for attachment to said shaft, a ledge secured across the shank, the angle between said ledge and the shank being greater than a right angle, said ledge projecting outwardly from said shank to define a rest for doughnuts positioned upon the blade during the operation of turning the doughnuts over incident to frying, and the side edges of the blade being bent upwards to :form a pair of tapering guard rails abutting the ledge and extending downwardly from the top of the ledge towards the blade tip.

`6. In a doughnut machine and in combination, a kettle for containing frying fat, said kettle having a row of burner tubes extending across the width of the kettle and passing through the side walls thereof in parallel spaced relation to each other and to the bottom and end walls of the kettle, one single main conveyor mounted to be supported solely by certain of said burner tubes for forward movement of itsupper flight above and for return movement of its lower flight beneath said burner tubes, said main conveyor extending for substantially .the entire length of the kettle and including a series of cross flights attached to the conveyor at equally spaced intervals for sub-dividing said conveyor into an unbroken series of separate compartments for conseparating and progressing the articles to be fried throughout their entire cooking period, but one single turnover device, said turnover device being freely rotatably mounted, said mounting being supported solely by certain other burner tubes, said turnover device extending across the kettle substantially mid-way the length of said main conveyor, the shaft of said turnover device being square in cross section and having its axis of rotation positioned immediately beneath the upper flight of said main conveyor, said turnover device including four blades mounted upon said squared shaft at right angles, and said blades being successively engageable by successively advancing spaced cross nights to intermittently rotate said turnover device thereby swinging the rearwardly projecting blade thereof upwardly through the compartment in rear of the turner-engaging cross flight to lift the partially fried articles out of the said compartment and redeposit them in over-turned condition in the compartment immediately in front of said turner-engaging cross flight.4

'7. In a doughnut machine the combination with a kettle for containing frying fat, one single main conveyor mounted for forward movement of its upper flight adjacent the frying fat level of the kettle for progressing frying articles through the frying fat for substantially the entire length of the kettle and for return movement of its lower flight adjacent the bottom of the kettle from thedelivery to the receiving end thereof, and but one single turnover device, said turnover device being freely rotatably mounted transverse the kettle substantially midway the length thereof, said turnover device including a plurality of varies rotatable in the direction ofmovement of the upper flight of the conveyor, a spur plate secured to the forward wall of each vane and extending laterally outwardly there,- from to define a supporting rest for doughnuts positioned upon its associated vane, a leaf spring secured to the rear wall of each vane, means including a cam mounted on the shaft of the turnover device, said cam having a plurality of notches formed therein and a spring latch engageable in successive cam notches for centering accelerating and re-centering said turnover device, of a series of cross flights attached to the conveyor at equally spaced intervals thus subdividing the conveyor into an unbroken series of separate compartmentsfor containing and sepbeing voperable in advancing to engage and dev press successive leaf springs until the energy stored in said spring is sufficient to overcome the tension of said spring latch and rotate said turnover device thus lifting the doughnutsl out of the compartment wherein they were originally deposited'supporting them upon the spur plate as. the turnover device continues to rotate and redepositing said doughnuts in overturned condi- .Y tion in the compartment one step in advanceof `the compartment from which they werelifted preparatory to turning.

8. A turnover device useful in a doughnut frying machine of the advancing conveyor type,

' said turnover device comprising a shaft and av series of blades mounted upon said shaft, said blades extending radially outwards fromA said shaft, said shaft being mounted for free intermittent rotation in one direction under control of the conveyor in advancing, mechanism for intermittently arresting the movement of the turnover device and for centering said turnover device in the correct position of rest, and means on the turnover device, engageable by the conveyor in advancing when said turnover device vhas overstepped, to rotate the turnover device in arating the articles 'to' be fried, said cross nights intermittently arresting the movement of the turnover device and for centering said turnover device in proper position, and an inclined plane surface associated with said turnover device, engageable by the said conveyor in advancing when said turnover device has overstepped, for rotating the turnover device in the reverse direction to re-center said turnover device.

10. A turnover device useful in a doughnut frying machine of the moving conveyor type, said turnover device comprising a shaft and a series of blades mounted upon said shaft, said blades extending radially outwards from said shaft, said shaft being mounted for free intermittent rotation in one direction under control of the conveyor in advancing, cam and brake mechanism for intermittently arresting the movement of the turnover device and for vcentering said turnover device in proper position, and a guard rail attached to the turnover device, said guard rail inclining upwardly in the direction of movement of the conveyor and being engageable by the conveyor in advancing when said turnover device has overstepped, to reverse the direction of rotation of and thus re-center the turnover device. l

l11. A'turnover device useful in a doughnut frying machine of the moving conveyor type, said turnover device comprising a shaft and a series of blades mounted degrees apart upon said shaft, each blade having a shank for attachment to said shaft, a ledge secured across the shank and projecting outwardly therefrom to form a support for doughnuts positioned upon the blade during the operation of turning the doughnuts over incident to frying, and a guard rail inclining upwardly towards and terminating beyond the outer extremity of the 1edge,'said shaft being adapted to be mounted for free intermittent rotation in one direction under control of the conveyor in advancing, cam and lever mechanism for intermittently arresting the movement of thev turnover device and for centering said turnover device in proper position, and saidv guard rail being operable to engage the moving conveyor when said turnover device has overstepped to reverse the direction of rotation of and thus re-center the turnover device and to space the conveyor away from the ledge to guard said ledge against injury by the conveyor.

12. A doughnut machine comprising a conveyor for moving doughnuts through the machine during the cooking operation, a turnover device intermittently rotated in one direction by the' movement of the conveyor for turning the doughnuts over while cooking, a weighted member, a cam adapted to rotate with said turnover device under control of said conveyor to lift said weighted member off normal, to accelerate the rotation of said turnover device under control of said weighted member while the latter is returning to normal, and to brake against the weighted member when it reaches normal to arrest the rotation of the turnover device and to center said turnover device in the correct position of rest, and means associated with the turnover device and effective only when the turnover device oversteps to engage the moving conveyor and rotate the turnover device back to the correct .position of rest.

13. A doughnut machine comprising a conveyor for moving doughnuts through the machine during the cooking operation, a turnover device intermittently rotated in one direction by the movement of the conveyor for turning the doughnuts over while cooking, a lever, a cam adapted to rotate with said turnover device under control of said conveyor to lift said lever oi! normal, to accelerate the rotation of said turnover device under control of said lever while the latter is returning to normal, and to brake against the lever when it reaches normal to arrest the rotation of the turnover device and to center said turnover device in the correct position of rest, and means associated with the turnover device and effective only when the turnover device oversteps to engage the moving conveyor and rotate the turnover device back to the correct position of rest.

14. A doughnut machine comprising a conveyor for moving doughnuts through the machine during the cooking operation, a turnover device intermittently rotated in one direction by the movement of the conveyor for turning the doughnuts over while cooking, a lever, a weight slidably associated with said lever, a. cam, said cam being adapted to rotatewith said turnover device under control of said conveyor and to engage and lift said weighted lever of! normal. to accelerate the rotation oi said turnover device under control of said weighted lever while the latter is returning to normal, and to brake against the weighted lever when it reaches normal to arrest the rotation of the turnover device and to center said turnover device in the correct position of rest, and means associated with the turnover device but eii'ective only when the turnover device oversteps to engage the moving conveyor and rotate the turnover device back to the correct position of rest.

15. A doughnut machine comprising a conveyor for moving doughnuts through the machine while cooking, a turnover device intermittently rotated in one direction by the movement of the conveyor for turning the doughnuts over while cooking. a movable weighted member, a cam follower carried by said weighted member, and a cam adapted to rotate with said turnover device under control of said conveyor to control the movement of said cam follower thereby lifting said weighted member from its normal position and to arrest the rotation of the turnover device and center it in the correct position of rest when the weighted member returns to its normal position.

16. A doughnut machine comprising a conveyor for moving doughnuts through the machine while cooking, a turnover device intermittently rotated in one direction by the movement of the conveyor for turning the doughnuts over while cooking, a movable weighted member, a cam follower carried by said weighted member. a cam adapted to rotate with said turnover device under control oi' the movement o1 said cam follower thereby lifting said weighted member from its normal positionandtoarresttherotationoftheturnover device and center it in the correct positionof rest when the weighted member returns to its said conveyor to control' normal position, and means associated with the turnover device and effective only when the turnover device oversteps to engage the moving conveyor and rotate the turnover device back to the correct position of rest.

17. A doughnut machine comprising a conveyor for moving doughnuts through the machine while cooking; a turnover device intermittently rotated in one direction by the movement of the conveyor for turning the doughnuts over, a lever, a weight adjustably mounted on said lever, a cam follower carried by said lever, and a cam adapted to rotate with said turnover device under control of said conveyor to control the movement of said cam follower thereby lifting said lever from its normal position and to arrest the rotation of the turnover device and center it in the correct position of rest when the lever returns to its normal position.

18. A doughnut machine comprising a conveyor for moving doughnuts through the machine while cooking, a turnover device intermittently rotated in one direction by the movement of the conveyor for turning the doughnuts over, a lever, a weight adjustably mounted on said lever, a cam follower carried by said lever, a cam adapted to rotate with said turnover device under control of said conveyor to control the movement of said cam follower thereby lifting said lever from its normal position and to arrest the rotation of the turnover device and re-center it in correct position of rest when the lever returns to its normal position, and means associated with the turnover device and eifective only when the turnover device oversteps to engage the moving conveyor and rotate the turnover device back to the correct position of rest.

19. A doughnut machine comprising a conveyor for moving doughnuts through the machine while cooking, a turnover device intermittently rotated in one direction by the movement oi the conveyor for turning the doughnuts over, a cam mounted to rotate in synchronism with said turnover device, said cam having rounded segments alternating with flattened segments, a weighted member engaging with. and intermittently oscillated by the rotation of, said cam, said weighted member normally engaging a riattened segment of the cam to arrest the motion of the cam so as to center the turnover device in the correct position and being moved oir normal when engaged by a rounded segment of the rotated cam. said weighted member in returning to normal co-operating with a iiattened segment of the cam to accelerate the rotation of the cam and of the turnover device before the motion of the cam is again arrested to center the turnover device in the correct position of rest. and means associated with the turnover device engageable by the conveyor in advancing when the turnover device has overstepped to rotate said turnover device inthe reverse direction to re-center said turnover device.

ERNEST J. ROTH. 

